Multiple slab unit



Nov. 223, 1932. N. a... ABERSON MULTIPLE SLAB UNIT Filed May 15, 1930 2Sheets-Sheet l w m mm m M m m au m V n Nov. 22, 1932. N. 1.. ABERSONMULTIPLE SLAB UNIT Filed May 15, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 6mm up PatentedNov. 1932 NATHANIEL L. ABEBSON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN MULTIPLE SLAB UNITApplication filed May 15,

This invention relates to a multiple slab unit and method of forming andapplying, and has to do particularly with compact, easily handled andapplied units for giving wall structure an outward ornamental appearancewithout the necessity of an additional foundation.

in my prior application Serial No. 380,- 795, filed July 25, 1929, Ihave described and illustrated the use of an ornamental brick or slabhaving approximately the same length and width as a standard ornamentalbrick or slab but having materially less thickness than the standardbrick or slab so that it may be directly applied to old or new wallstructure to thus eliminate a standard ornamental brick or slab wallstructure.

' It is' the object of the present invention to provide a novelconstruction unit which 29 not only greatly reduces the time required informing and completing the thin bricklike veneer wall construction butwhich also completely eliminates the use of skilled laher and results ina much superior wall construction.

More specifically the present invention contemplates the combining of aplurality of relatively thin ornamental bricks or slabs into a singleconstruction unit of novel form; the novel form of said unit residingmainly in a stepped formation which provides for the interfitting or"these units to show a con-' tinuous bond. Uther features include themethod of forming this multiple construction unit and the method ofapplying the same to a wall. Other features reside in the details ofconstruction as will be more clearly brought out in the specificationand 40 claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a wall built up of multiple units embodyingthe present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the preferred form of my novel multipleunit.

Fig. 3 illustrates the method of applying the multiple units as shown inFig. 2 to a wall.

Fig. 4 illustrates the manner in which my 1930. Serial No. 452,747.

novel stepped multiple unit may be divided for different uses.

Fig. 5 illustrates one form of corner construction.

Fig. 6 illustrates a modified form of corner construction.

Fig. 7 illustrates a modified form of multiple unit construction andshowing the same as applied to a wall structure.

Fig. 8 illustrates a further modified form of multiple unit and alsoshowing the manner of securing the same to a wall.

Fig. 9 illustrates one of the methods of applying my multiple units overexistent frame wall structures of the siding type without removal of thesiding and continuing the covering of the wall surface in a plumb lineover a masonry wall foundation to grade.

One of the main features of the present 79 invention resides in thespecific form of the multiple construction units, in that such multipleunits are stepped or given what might be called a step-up design.

The advantages of such a step-up design are many as compared to thestandard prong type of units such as shown in the patent to Kline No.1,? 11,026 of April 30, 1929. Due to the step-up shape of my novel unitsthey inherently, by their arrangement, rein- 89 force the wall structureso as to eliminate any additional reinforcin rods or other units. Asbest shown in *ig. 1, the joints between the multiple units are morecompletely broken, no joint being continuous, with the result that ifany unit should inadvertently be spaced more than the usual distancefrom its adjacent unit, the break in the joint will be substantiallyobscured because of its isolation in the general wall 90 structure.

Furthermore, as best illustrated in Fig. 1, the joints of the steppedmultiple units are spread out over the surface of the wall, in shortdiagonal lines, and since these joint lines are not continuous it willbe obvious that the wall structure will stand u with great efficiencyunder a vertical line 0 stress formed by settlement, shrinkage, etc.

However, the main features of the stepup multiple slab unit reside inthe manner of constructing the same, the ease of installation resultingtherefrom and the economy and advantages of the final wall produced. Infabricating the preformed form of stepped unit I preferably utilize avery thin ornamental slab which is manufactured in a novel way toprevent warping and at the same time give the surface of each slab anornamental burnt clay appearance. This method of manufacturing a thinslab does not enter into the present invention and it will be sufiicientto say that in the construction of my multiple units from suchornamental slabs that I prefer to use a slab which is approximatelyninesixteenths of an inch in thickness. This thicknessmay varyconsiderably but I prefer to use such a thickness so as to come withinthe usual building restrictions wherein an ornamental wall surface is tobe added to an already constructed wall structure having its ownexistent foundation.

In manufacturing multiple units to serve as brick veneer units for wallconstruction, I preferably cut out or form a common backing which is socut out or formed as to correspond to the stepped shape of the finalunit. Such common backing is best shown in Fig. 2 and may be generallydesignated 1. Such common backing is generally triangular in shape, thetwo inclined sides of the triangle being stepped as at 2. Such commonbacking.

may be of any material such as wall board, in-

, sulating board. compositions, asbestos board,

or even wire netting, sheet metal, and the like, but I prefer to use abacking which acts as an insulating material so as to improve theefliciency of the final wall construction.

In forming the complete unit in production lots ready for immediateapplication to wall surface, the finished unit may be formed by applyingthe brick like thin slabs directly to the common backing by the use of asuitable adhesive cement. The plurality of bricks making up each unitmay be inserted in a suitable mold and the adhesive cement applied tothe common backing or to theback of the slabs, or the preformed bricklike slabs may be applied to the common backing individually. Ifdesired, the common backing may be of such size, and the slabs soapplied thereto, that the edges of the backing will pro]ect a slightdistance beyond the edges of the slabs, as best shown in Figure 2. Theamount ofprojection of the edges of the common backing past the slabsshould be an amount substantially equal to half the mortar board betweenthe slabs. Such projection of the backing is not necessary however, andmay be found to be impracticalin many cases so that for general resultsit will be suflicient if the edges of the bricks align with the edges-ofthe backing, as best shown in F1g.4.

Another way of forming the novel stepped multiple units is to press theornamental slabs directly to the surface of the material used to formthe common backing, while such material is still in its plastic orsemi-plastic state. When such material hardens, dries, or is compressed,the thin slab will be held as an integral part thereof as best shown inFig. 7. The ornamental slabs may be the same in each form and may begenerally designated 3.

After the stepped multiple units are formed either by directly affixingthe slabs to the common backing as shown in Figs. 3 or 9, or impressingthe slabs into the common backing so as to form an integral partthereof, as shown in Fig. 7, then such multiple slab units may bedirectly applied to the wall or walls to be covered. All that isnecessary to do is to merely locate a multiple slab unit against thesurface of a wall at and secure the unit to the wall by means ofsuitable fastening devices such as nails 5 which may be inserted betweenthe spaced slab members 3. Such unit may, for instance, be thatillustrated as at 6 in Fig. 1. A second unit, identical with the first,may then be very easily positioned and secured into place, in invertedposition, as at 7 These identical units may thus be arranged in generalas shown in *ig. l to complete the wall or walls to be surfaced.

The installation of the stepped units may be accomplished ,very quicklyfor the reason that it is not necessary to accurately position one unitrelative to another. There may be a variation, plus or minus, of aquarter of an inch at the adjoining edge lines of the stepped unitswithout affecting the interfittin of said units. In applying the unitsto sections of a wall between windows, doors, corners, etc., it may befound desirable to vary the spacing between units so as to effect aminimum amount of cutting and to eliminate the use of small pieces ofbrick. Because of the stepped or staggered relation of the jointsbetween units any such slight variation will not be easily discernable.Also because of this stepped arrangement of the units and verticaloperlapping of the same, such units may be fastened to the wall in sucha manner that there is no continuous weak joint on the surface of thewall, and articularl no vertical weak joint of any kind. Nai s may bedriven in haphazardly, and a nail as at 8 for instance, in one unitcould be positione approximately below another nail, such as at 9, in anadjacent unit, the same being true as to horizontal arrangement of thefastening means so that a very strong reinforced structure is obtainedby reason of the stepped form of the adjacent units. While the commonbacking for the ste ped multiple units lends itself to the prodhction ofaccurate units, it will be obvious that much leeway can i hy-thebasewall structure with the result that- It will furthermore be obviousthat there is really no interfitting between my adjacent units but suchrelationship might be more readily termed a rough abutment of adj acentunits.

The units as illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, and 7 are approximately one inchin thickness and preferably less than two inches dependent upon theweight of the material used, whereby the entire units are directlysupported by the main wall structure and do not require any foundationstructure. Furthermore, the step-up design of the multiple slab unitspermits them to be more easily used with walls terminating in gable ordiagonal roof lines. The thinness of the slabs due to the fact that theyare secured to common backing makes it possible to readily cut away anentire portion of the multiple unit such as along the lines indicated at100 and 10b in Fig. 4. After the various units have been secured intoplace, the joints between the units as well as the spaces between theslabs may or may not be pointed with a suitable mortar as in ordinarybrick construction.

The corner units such as indicated'at 11 and 12 in Fig. 1 may be formedinitially of substantially the same step-up design as the main multipleslab units in which casesaid corner units are preferably formed withmitered edges as best shown at 13 in Fig. 5, or the corner units may bemade in one section as best illustrated in Fig. 6. However, I prefer tomake these corner units as shown in Figs. t and 5 and in so forming thecorner unit-s they may be initially fabricated and assembled similar tothe main unit as shown in Fig. 2, or the corner units may be formeddirectly from a main unit by cutting as with a large cutting mill, by asuitable press,

or any other suitable means. it will be understood here that thethickness of the slab members combined with the insulating material orother common backing makes the unit readily susceptible to cutting ordividing.

A modified form of multiple slab unit is illustrated in Fig. 8 whereinthe complete multiple slab unit is formed of terra cotta, clay or othersimilar materials, and burned in kilns, thus producing a single integralmultiple unit having bIlCk like prominences divided by indentationssimulating brick wall constructionor brick laid in broken joints. Itwill also be understood that this modified form of unit may be made ofany-composition, the main point being that it is stepped similar to theunit shown in Fig. 2 and is provided with an exterior surface simulatingornamental brick or similar ornamental slabs.

It will be understood that in all forms of my invention that theindividual multiple slab units are directly and mainlysupported noseparate foundation is required for thethin brick-like veneer wallstructure formed by the multiple slab units.

The standard brick as referred to in the specification and claims isintended to come under the present A. S. T. M. definition and surfacedimensions of my veneer brick units 3 are substantially those of thestandard brick, the materials for making said veneer units 3 may varyconsiderably and still come within the scope of the present invention.

What I claim is 1. An exterior building unit adapted to be secured tothe base wall of a building for forming part of an ornamental veneerwall, comprising a rigid backing member and a plurality of relativelythin ornamental slabs directly secured to and supported by said backingmember, said ornamental slabs having the surface appearance and textureof ornamental bricks and the like, said orna mental slabs being spacedapart to simulate a portion of an ornamental exterior building wall andto permit the insertion of nails between said spaced slabs to nail theunit to the building wall, the total thickness of the building unitincluding the backing and ornamental slabs being less than 1 2. Anexteriorbuildingunit for use in forming ornamental veneer walls of brickand the like, comprising a portion of a wall formed by a plurality ofspaced ornamental members having substantially the same facial chaacteristics and texture as ornamental brick and the like, and asubstantially rigid sup porting and securing backing forming a permanentpart of said ornamental members, portions of said backing extending pastthe surface contour of one or more ornamental members for receivingfastening means for securing the entire unit tothe base wall of abuilding, said ornamental members being relatively thin compared tostandard ornamental bricks and the like having similar facialcharacteristics and extending not more than of an inch past the exposedsurface of said backing.

3. An exterior building unit for use in forming ornamental veneer wallsof brick and the like, comprising a substantially rigid supporting andsecuring member adapted to be fastened to a wall of the building, andornamental means arranged in spaced relation on and forming a permanentpart of said memher, said means extending not more than of an inch fromthe normal surface of said member and having substantially the samesurface characteristics and texture as ornamental brick and the like. 7

4. An exterior building unit for use in forming ornamental veneer wallsof brick and the like, comprising a substantiall rigid supporting andsecurin member 0 insulating material adapted to be fastened to a wall ofthe building, and ornamental means arranged in spaced relation on andforming a permanent part of said member, said means extending not morethan of an inch from the normal surface of said member and havingsubstantially the same surface characteristics and texture as ornamentalbrick and the like, said means being spaced apart a sufiicient distanceto receive fastening means for securing the unit to the building wall.

5. An exterior building unit for use in forming ornamental veneer wallsof brick and the like, comprising a substantially rigid supporting andsecuring member adapted to be fastened to a wall of the building, andornamental means arranged in spaced relation on and forming a permanentpartof said member, said means extending not more than of an inch fromthenormal surface of said member and having substantially the samesurface characteristics and texture as ornamental brick and the like,said member being formed of insulating material and havin an edgethereof of stepped formation and extending past the surface contour ofthe ornamental means.

6. A brick veneer Wall for covering wooden buildings, comprising aplurality of multiple slab units nailed directly to the base wall of thebuilding, each slab unit consisting of a common supporting backing ofrigid insulating material, a plurality of ornamental slabs secured tosaid common backing of insulating material by adhesive cement, saidslabs belng spaced from each other and arranged on said common backingto simulate a portion of a brick wall, each slab being relatively thinas compared to a standard brick but havmg the exposed surface thereof ofsubstantially the same length and width as the exposed face of astandard brick when laid fiatwise and also having substantially the samefacial characteristics as brick, the nails for securing the slab unitsto the base wall being positioned in between spaced slabs when infinished position on the base wall, all the spaces between the slabs ineach slab unit being filled up with a substance to cover the nails andseal the cement and insulating material from the weather.

7. A brick veener wall for covering wooden buildings, comprising aplurality of multiple slab units fastened directly to the base wall ofthe building, each slab unit consistin of a common supporting backing, aplura ity of ornamental slabs directly and permanently secured to saidcommon backing, said slabs being spaced from each other and arranged onsaid common backing to simulate a portion of a brick wall, each slabbeing relatively thin as compared to a standard brick but having theexposed surface thereof of substantially the same dimensions as theexposed surfaces of a standard brick and also having substantially thesame facial characteristics as brick, the total thiclmess of thecomplete brick veneer wall being not over one and one half inches.

8. A brick veneer wall for covering wooden buildings, comprising aplurality of multiple slab units fastened directly to the base wall ofthe building, each slab unit consisting of a common supporting backing,a plurality of oramental slabs directly and permanently secured to saidcommon backing, said slabs being spaced from each other and arranged onsaid common backing to simulate a portion of a brick wall, each slabbeing relatively thin as compared to a standard brick but having theexposed surface thereof of substantially the same dimensions as theexposed surfaces of a standard brick and also having substantially thesame facial characteristics as brick, the nails for securing the slabunits to the base wall being positioned in between the spaced slabs whenin finished position on the base wall, all the spaces between the slabsin each slab unit being covered with a substance to cover the nails.

9. A brick veneer wall for covering wooden buildings, comprising aplurality of multiple slab units fastened directly to the base wall ofthe building, each slab unit consisting of a common supporting backingof solid insulating material, a plurality of ornamental slabs secured tosaid common backing of insulating material by adhesive cement, saidslabs being spaced from each other and arranged on said common backingto simulate a portion of a brick wall, each slab being relatively thinas compared to a standard brick and having the exposed surface thereofof substantially the same length and width as the exposed face of astandard brick andalso having substantially the same facialcharacteristics as brick, the means for securing the slab units to thebase wall being inserted directly through the backing of in sulatingmaterial, all the spaces between the slabs in each slab unit beingfilled with a substance to seal the insulating material from theweather.

10. A brick veneer wall for covering wooden buildings, comprising aplurality of multiple slab units fastened directly to the base wall of abuilding, each slab unit consisting of a common supporting backing ofsolid insulating material, a plurality of slabs integrally secured tosaid common backing of insulating material, said slabs being spaced fromeach other and arranged on said common backing to simulate a portion ofa brick wall, each slab consisting of a member having substantially thesame facial characteristics as brick and being relatively thin ascompared to a standard brick but having the exposed surface thereof ofsubstantially the same length and width as the exposed surface of astandard brick, the backlng o'f insulating material for some of theunits having a portion of the edges thereof in step formation, thefastening means for securing the slab units to the base wall beingpositioned in between spaced slabs when in finished position on the basewall, the spaces in between the slabs being covered with a substance forprotecting the insulating material from the weather.

11. A brick veneer wall for covering buildings, comprising a pluralityof multiple slab units fastened directly to the base wall of a building,each slab unit consisting of a common supporting backing, a plurality ofornamental slabs integrally secured to said common backing, said slabsbeing spaced from each other and arranged on said common backing tosimulate a portion of a brick wall, each slab consisting of a raisedsurface having substantially the same facial characteristics as brickand being relatively thin as compared to a standard brick but having theexposed surface thereof of substantially the same length and width asthe exposed surface of a standard brick, at least a portion of the outeredge of the backing for some of the units extending past the edges ofthe ornamental slabs, the fastening means for securing slab units to thebase Wall extending through said portion of the backing material notcovered by the ornamental slabs, the total thickness of the completebrick veneer wall being not over one and one half inches.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

NATHANIEL L. ABERSON.

